On sightings of (vagrant?) monk seals, Monachus monachus, in the Mediterranean Basin and their importance for the conservation of the species

In ancient
times, the distribution range of the Mediterranean monk seal extended all over
the coasts of the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and parts of the north-eastern
Atlantic coast. Nowadays, the species is classified as Endangered and the
current total world population is stated to consist of ~700 animals. The
species is extinct in a number of Mediterranean countries, whereas in some of
them only a few individuals are thought to survive and in others the status is
unknown.

This study
analysed recent monk seal sightings over the period from 2000 to 2014 in the
Mediterranean Basin. The locations of the sightings cover most of the study
area and indicate a spreading of individual seals or a more stable presence in
regions where the species was considered extinct.

The authors
highlight that the analysis done in this study allowed to identify different
regions (the Adriatic-Ionian and the Levantine regions in particular) with high
frequencies of sightings, where efforts to monitor the species’ presence should
be implemented.

The study
points out that efforts for the protection of monk seals, should encompass all
areas where monk seals sightings have been recorded, including the protection
and conservation of potential suitable habitats in countries where the species
apparently no longer exists. The need for appropriate conservation measures,
such as the establishment of Marine Protected Areas and sustainable management
of fisheries, is stressed to aid natural recolonization.

Bundone et al. (2019) On sightings of (vagrant?) monk seals, Monachus monachus, in the Mediterranean Basin and their importance for the conservation of the species. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems DOI: 10.1002/aqc.3005.